oberhammer



No. 624,964. Patented May le, 1899.

L. UBERHAMMEB. GEAR cHANmNa nEvlcI-z Fon BlcvcLEs.

(Application led July 9, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)`

No. 624,964. Patented May I6, |899. L. OBEBHAMMER.

GEAR CHANGING DEVICE FOB BICYCLES.

(Application led Jly 9, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets--Sheet 2- .on line 3 3 of Fig. l. tails of certain grooves hereinafter set forth.

NiTnD STATES LUDWIG OBERHAMMER,

PATENT FFICE.

oF MUNICH, GERMANY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 624,964, dated May 16, 1899.

Application filed July 9, 1898. Serial No. 685,509. (No model.)

lar letters of reference denote similar parts.

throughout the several views.

Figure l is a longitudinal section through the rearwheel axle and the rear part of one of the arms of the rear-wheel fork. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. l; Fig. 3, a section Figs. 4., 5, and 6 are de- Fig. 7 is a detail of the end of the support for the rear-Wheel axle. Fig. 'S is a sectional elevation of the front-wheel-fork guidingsleeve; Fig. 9, a cross-section on the line 9 9 of Vand on and in this sleeve is mounted the lgear-changing device forming one of the principal features of the present invention. The bevel-gears c and d are mounted to rotate freely on ball-bearings on the said sleeve b, and fast to the latter is a collar f, which supports and forms one of the ball-bearings for each gear c and d, while the cup e is screwed upon `the end of the sleeve b and forms, together with the collar u, the end ball-bearing for the said sleeve h. Within the end of the sleeve b is mounted loosely a short sleeve g, encircling the arm aand connected to a rod i, extending out at the end of the hollow arm @by means of apin (not shown) which passes through the slot 7o in said arm a, and thus the rod c' and also the sleeve gare pushed into said grooves.

prevented from rotating with the sleeve ZJ. Revolubly mounted Von the. sleeve g, but longitudinally confined on the same by means of end flanges g2 g2 on the sleeve is a second sleeve h, having lugs m, advantageously two in nu mber, and this sleeve effects the coupling of one or other of the beveled gears c or d to the sleeve b. The lugs -m of the said coupling-sleeve h extend through slots n of the sleeve b and are capable of engagement with corresponding grooves 0 and @longitudinally cut in the interior of the bosses of the said bevel-gears c and d. The collar f is also recessed at the corresponding points of the interior of its boss to allow the said lugs of the coupling-piece h to pass from one side of the collar to the other. The longitudinal movement of the coupling-piece h is effected by means of the sleeve g and the rod fi. The two gears c and d are in engagement with the double bevel-gear q, `mounted in the wellknown manner on the rear-wheel axle fr. Thus if the rod t is pushed inwardly-t'. e., from right to left of Fig. 1-its lugs m will pass out of engagement with the grooves p of the gear d and into engagement with those, o, of the bevel-gear c, thus changing the gearing to the higher-speed gearing.

In order to enable the lugs m to easily find their way into the grooves of either wheel, the

`adjacent faces of the bosses of said wheels are tact with the corresponding face ofthe other gear in coming around the lugs fm will be forced against the inclines by the push ofthe rod e' and will abut against the side of the grooves, so that they may be then easily Fig. 6 shows the projection or rolled-out interior surface of the boss-boring, showing the form and location of the said grooves or inclines.

In order to enable the -adjustment of the wardly-extending eye s, to which the lower IOO end of one of the arms of the fork extending down from the saddle is attached, and the rear face of the said fork is covered with a plate w, advantageously screwed thereto at 10 10 and having an orifice therein just large enough to allow the end of the arm a to pass through it. The collar u is also mounted on the said sleeve t and is adjustable thereon, being held in position by means of the locknut u. From the foregoing it will be evident that by adjusting the position of the flange t' and the lock-nut a; outside of the fork the position of the rear-wheel axle r may be varied at will, according to requirement.

The preferred means for operating the rod t' will now be described. In a bearing y',

mounted in proximity to the sleeve fc for the stem of the steering-bar, is supported a shaft z', to which is keyed a disk s', having in its face two diametrically opposite orifices o', and loosely mounted on shaft z is a toothed segment q', which is in engagement with the teeth of a rack-sleeve y, loosely encircling the stem Z of the steering-bar. The segment q is provided in its face, adjacent to the disk s', with a spring-pressed pin n', adapted to engage the orifices of the said disk s', said pin having its end beveled off, (not shown,) and when the segment is moved on its pivot in one direction it will be coupled to the said disk; but on the backward stroke it will disengage from the same by means of the said beveled-off end. The sleeve y is spring-pressed upwardly by any suitable Well-known means (not shown) and is capable of depression by the rod o', having button Z and extending out at the top of the stem of the steering-bar. The lower end of the rod fu is provided with a laterallyextending lug w', which engages loosely in a corresponding slot L02 in the stem Z, and it will be seen that on turning the said stem Z from the steering-bar (not shown) the relation of the teeth on the rack-sleeve with those on the segment q will not be disturbed, since the teeth of said sleeve extend all the Way around the same. The shaft a is provided with al crank-arm o", which is connected by a rod m' to any suitable lever in connection with the end of the rod 1', so as to push the said rod inwardly or pull the same outwardly when the saidcrank-arm is turned half a revolution.

The operation of this device will be evident from the foregoing description. As soon as the button is depressed the disk s', which is engaged by the pin of the segment q', turns u with the latter half a turn, and with it the disk, the crank r', which is also keyed to the shaft z. On this taking place the gearing is changed, and as soon as the lugs m on sleeve h have properly engaged the other bevelwheel and after the rod o has been released the sleeve y, and with it the rod c', will be actuated upwardly, andon the upward movement of said sleeve and rod the sleeve will return the segment q to its initial position, since the pin n will become disengaged from one of the orifices o', and on reaching its initial position it will again engage the other orifice, so that the parts are again in readiness to again change the gearing. The bearing y is advantageously xed to the upper end of the frame-bar x', as shown at Figs. 8 and lO.'

Although the device has been described with reference to a change of two gearings, it is obvious that three gearings might be employed by the same device, in which case three bevel-gears would be arranged and the center one would have to be provided with the leading-in inclines at both its faces, as will be readily understood. The disk s also would have to be provided with three orifices for properly adjusting the rod i; but as a rule not more than two gearings are employed.

I claim as my invention-- 1. In a multiple-gear cycle, the combination of a series of beveled gears engaging a multiple gear on the drive-shaft, and provided with bosses having parallel grooves, and also provided on their ad jacent faces with semicircular inclined planes leadingto the grooves, and a clutch device comprising in part a rotatable sleeve provided with lugs adapted to enter the grooves in the bosses, substantially as described.

2. In a multiple-gear cycle, the combination of a series of beveled gears engaging a multiple gear on the drive-shaft, and having bosses provided with parallel grooves, and also provided at their ends with semicircular inclined planes leading to the grooves, and a clutch device comprising arotatable sleeve having lugs adapted to enter the said grooves from the ends, a non-rotatable longitudinallymovable sleeve passing through said rotatable sleeve and engaging the ends of the same, and means for operating said secondnamed sleeve, ksubstantially as described.

3. In a multiple-gear cycle,the combination of a series of beveled gears engaging a multiple gear on the drive-shaft, and having bosses provided with parallel grooves, and also provided at their ends with semcircular inclined planes leading to the grooves, and a clutch device comprising a rotatable sleeve having lugs for entering the grooves, a nonrotatable longitudinally-movable sleeve within said rotatable sleeve, the same being provided with end iianges engaging the latter, and a movable rod for operating said nonrotatable sleeve, substantially as described.

4. In a multiple-gear cycle comprising a series of bevels to engage a multiple bevel on the driving-wheel shaft, and means for coupling either one of said bevels to the rotating member of the machine, consisting of an interior sliding coupling-piece as specified, the means for operating said slidin g coupling, consisting of the combination of an upwardlyspring pressed4 threaded sleeve y loosely mounted on the steering-bar stem within the guide-sleeve of the same, a toothed segment IIO and a shaft e" mounted in proximity to the is loosely mounted to engage the said threaded sleeve, a disk fast on said shaft, and a crank also fast thereon, and a connecting-rod with means for transferring the motion of said crank to the coupling-shifting bar, and means in connection with said toothed segment to couple the same to said disk when the threaded sleeve is depressed, and to unoouple the same l lWhen the said sleeve rises, and means for again coupling said segment and disk when the segment has regained its initial position substantially as described.

5. In a multiplegear cycle of the kind speciiied the means for shifting the coupling-piece consisting of the combination of a shaft a' mounted in proximity to the steeringsbar stem, a toothed segment q loosely mounted thereon, a disk and a crank-arm keyed to said shaft, said disk having oriiices o o', a spring-pressed pin n mounted in the face of the segment adjacent to and in the oireular'path of the said orifices, said pin having beveled end as specified, a rack-sleeve loosely inclosing the steering-bar stem and in ,engagement with the driving-Wheel, of a threaded sleeve there on, a fork embracing said arm at the outer end of the sleeve, and having a ange against which said fork-arm abuts, a plate secured tol the outer face of the fork, and provided With an opening through which said fork-arm for the wheel passes, and a lock -nut bearing against said plate, substantially as described. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two Witnesses.

LUDVIG OBERI'IAMMER. Vitnesses:

EMIL HENZEL, ALFRED IIOEINGIBERGER. K 

